Description

This monumental neoclassical building is located close to the Hal Gate. It is surrounded by gardens closed off by wrought-iron fences. The wide entrance is flanked by two imposing carved blue-limestone pedestals bearing vases. The building was inspired by the English crescents, accommodating multiple dwellings behind a monumental façade. The housing estate comprises 16 houses, originally comprising 32 dwellings. They were intended for Brussels’ retired teachers. Each house is divided into two longitudinal bays, the narrower of which contains the staircase and a toilet; the wider bay has two adjoining rooms. The two-storey façade is topped by a slate roof punctuated by eight dormer windows. This façade is marked by three pavilions: one in the centre, the other two at the ends. Each pavilion features engaged columns on the first floor supporting an entablature. It is topped by a pediment surrounded by a balustrade. The central pediment shows a bas-relief representing André-Napoléon Fontainas (1807–1863), mayor of the city of Brussels, between two allegorical figures. The front façade is made of light-coloured stone, while the rear is plastered. Between the pavilions, the evenly spaced windows are interrupted every two bays by the entrance doors to the houses.

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Originally published in: Gérald Ledent, Alessandro Porotto, Brussels Housing. Atlas of Residential Building Types, Birkhäuser, 2023.